


The Hero Doesn't Awaken

by TheRepeat



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, Gen, Pressures of leadership on a teenager, diary entries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:48:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28440417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRepeat/pseuds/TheRepeat
Summary: It came so fast. It was upon us before we even knew. As if it could somehow sense us. It did not lazily drift closer to Gerudo Town, as we had expected; no, it directly made for us.Naboris was meant to protect us. A Divine Beast. Now, it is merely a beast. A creature of prey, hunting on wild instinct..What happens in a world without a savior?
Relationships: Buliara & Riju (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	The Hero Doesn't Awaken

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally [uploaded](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13113552/1/The-Hero-Doesn-t-Awaken) on Fanfiction.net on November 5, 2018.

* * *

# VAH NABORIS

* * *

_-Diary of Makeela Riju-_

_I believe that I’m fortunate to have this journal. I read it often. When I peruse the older entries, I laugh at how big those problems had seemed at the time…_

_……_

_We hadn’t expected this. Not so soon._

_There were signs, but things changed quicker than we could have anticipated._

_._

“Lady Riju.”

“Mm.”

Riju’s eyes were closed while she rubbed her temples. She could not force her attention off of the tremors. They were loud, louder than they had ever been, but to her, they were deafening. Even when they were silent.

“Lady Riju,” her attendant stated for a second time, a modicum of sternness to her tone.

At last, Riju opened her eyes once more. They hung heavy; shaded though her throne room was, the light shining through the door was almost blinding. It was all so amplified. Surreal, almost. She could see the vai before her—she was aware of Buliara standing by her side as always, giving her a severe look—but it all felt like a dream.

_I can’t shake… this feeling._

She quietly surveyed the throne room. Captain Teake knelt at the fore of the room, nearest to Riju’s throne, and an assortment of Gerudo elders lined the main chamber to hear their chief speak.

_The feeling that… what? …What feeling is this?_

She shook her head; it didn’t matter. Feelings were useless for now. She had called this meeting for a reason.

“My apologies.” Riju righted herself in her throne, folding her hands in her lap. “I gathered you to discuss the roamings of the Divine Beast Vah Naboris.” She took to twirling a strand of scarlet hair around her finger, speaking with practiced formality: “The Beast has marched across the desert for a long time, and we’ve had reason enough to leave it alone, but only lately has it begun to draw dangerously close to Gerudo Town. As of yesterday, we were forced to abandon the outpost watching Vah Naboris’s movements; if it continues at its pace, then the Beast will meander near enough to directly threaten Gerudo Town within the month.”

Like clockwork: as if to punctuate her sentence, a light tremor rumbled through the building, loosening sand from the rafters.

_Its footsteps have never come so close._

Riju squeezed her eyes shut. She could feel the quakes lingering in her bones. She forced herself to take a calming breath—she’d practiced, she’d practiced.

“We already feel the effects of the sandstorms Vah Naboris looses from its mere movements. At times it is thick enough to impair breathing.”

Another breath. Riju could feel the walls closing in on her. But, breathing helped. _Focus._

“…So.” Riju nodded. “In all likelihood, Gerudo Town will not be safe for much longer. I recommend we begin evacuating the town by the end of this week. Thoughts, anyone? Concerns?”

“Yes, milady.” The captain of the guard inclined her head, catching the chief’s attention.

Riju gestured gracefully. “Speak your mind, Captain Teake.”

Teake stood. Immediately Riju could see displeasure written across the captain’s face; Teake was always the grumpy sort, but this was a new level of ire from her.

“Pardon my impending rudeness,” Teake stated. “We must not take an action so lightly. If the Divine Beast does wander near enough to warrant an evacuation, then we must have a _plan.”_

Riju rested her elbow on the arm of her throne, propping her head on her fist. “Go on, Captain.”

“Gerudo Town is sacred,” said Teake bluntly. “Not in substance, but in idea. If we are to leave, we must have a new location in mind. A replacement for the town we will lose.”

“Hmm…” Riju’s eyes wandered off of the captain’s, her mind working. “…Well, Kara Kara Bazaar to the northeast should do just fine. It should be able to accommodate my people at least tempor—”

Teake clenched her fists. _“Not_ the oasis. It is not Gerudo Town. It will never _be_ Gerudo Town.”

Buliara’s gaze sharpened. “Mind your tone, Teake.”

Teake ignored her with a dismissive wave.

Riju placed both of her hands in her lap, frowning with confusion. “…Of course, Teake. The oasis could never replace the countless memories we’ve made here, but—”

Teake interrupted her again. “That isn’t the problem. That is not what makes Gerudo Town Gerudo Town. The oasis accommodates all—voe and vai alike. What makes Gerudo Town sacred is that it is a safe haven for vai alone.”

Riju blinked, a little smile growing on her face in incredulity. “You are pulling my leg, Teake. That is far from our priority at the moment.”

“Then your priorities are skewed, Lady Riju.”

Buliara had a stinging reprimand on her tongue, but Riju stayed her with a gesture, watching the guard captain curiously. “…Why?” Riju asked. “What does it matter? If we all escape with our lives, and perhaps even our possessions and livelihoods, then that is enough, is it not?”

Buliara tapped her claymore’s blade on the floor declaratively. “Answer with tact, Captain.”

“I…” Teake grasped at words, clearly displaying her discomfort. Her fists were clenched with frustration at her inability to articulate. She knew she stood on solid ground, she knew she was _right,_ but the words, the argument, escaped her at the moment.

With a harsh sigh, she unclenched her hands. “…Forgive me. As you wish: our evacuation point will be Kara Kara Bazaar, at least for now.” Still clearly heated with vexation, Captain Teake backed down.

A brief, silent pause followed.

Another gentle tremor wracked the building. Riju’s breath caught sharply, and she clutched a hand over her heart. Buliara tensed in response.

_The feeling…_

She glanced at Buliara, assuaging her concern with a reassuring nod, before she returned her attention to the throne room.

_It all feels like… this isn’t how it’s supposed to be._

She laid her arms on the throne’s armrests a bit more carefully than needed. Her hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

* * *

_-Diary of Makeela Riju-_

_One week was all we needed. Less, perhaps. We’d begun evacuating as soon as the meeting adjourned._

_The exodus began at a leisurely pace. I could fault no one for that. We had time. People needed it. Gerudo Town has been our home for untold generations… to leave it behind was not easy for everyone. I believe that they understood why we had to leave, though. It was simple stubbornness at most, and even then I knew I would be able to sway them if I just spoke to them._

_I did not have to._

_We were not given the week we needed._

.

The sandstorm was thick. The wind stirring the sands howled; on any other night, Riju would have called the gales deafening.

But there was no mistaking that this sandstorm was not. Another, greater noise—a shrill, hissing, mechanical shriek that easily pierced the sandy tempest—was proof enough of that.

A massive light rose over Gerudo Town: a small, violet sun glowing in the sandy skies. The light illuminated little. A hint of a golden monstrosity.

Then, this artificial sun flashed malevolently, and for an instant, all was clear. Even the airborne sand seemed to hang still for the shortest second, allowing this purple light to illuminate its source.

It was unbelievably surreal. Riju had seen it many times; she had personally laid eyes on it before the outpost was rendered uninhabitable. Never before had it been so close.

The Divine Beast Vah Naboris was briefly visible in its entirety.

Its scale staggered Riju. It easily towered over Gerudo Town, perhaps a dozen times over. Its very form seemed to engulf the city as it stood, uncharacteristically still, outside the city walls.

But the light only lasted an instant; the sands quickly overtook the visage of the gargantuan beast. The flash that had revealed the beast then crashed onto Gerudo Town.

The dark lightning obliterated a building, casting stone and sand into the air. Riju shielded herself with her arms as the debris flew.

.

_-Diary of Makeela Riju-_

_It came so fast. It was upon us before we even knew. As if it could somehow sense us. It did not lazily drift closer to Gerudo Town, as we had expected; no, it directly made for us._

_Naboris was meant to protect us. A Divine Beast. Now, it is merely a beast. A creature of prey, hunting on wild instinct._

_Its lightning made waste of Gerudo Town. Each blast tore buildings asunder, ripped the streets from the earth…_

.

Riju lowered her arms, squinting through the chaos as the explosion settled. Her eyes were wide with horror, shock, beholding what remained of the building. She had seen Vah Naboris’s defense mechanism activate before; she’d even seen the machine target a person with startling precision, though that vai had been able to escape its range before the Divine Beast could fire.

Riju couldn’t have imagined its destructive power. Nothing remained of its target. If a vai had been taking shelter within those walls, then there’s no way they could’ve…

The metallic hiss began to rise once again. At that sound, Riju felt consciousness being stirred into her. _Fear._ The most real fear she had ever felt.

The rest of the Gerudo were already fleeing. Vai ran this way and that in a panic, crowding the streets. Some carried armfuls of their possessions; others fled empty-handed. But Riju was frozen.

The violet light reappeared in the sky, scaling with the volume of its malefic shriek.

“Lady Riju!”

Riju turned around. “B-Buliara…” She gestured vaguely behind her, at the monster lurking outside of her city’s walls. “We—it’s—”

Buliara urgently waved her chief over. “Hurry, Lady Riju! We must escape!”

Riju tensed, but she could not move her feet.

Buliara dashed closer, seizing her chief by the wrist. “Lady Riju, _let us go!”_

The young Gerudo chief suddenly felt something. Something… warm. Not the usual warm, either. She touched her fingertip to her cheek, brushing away the hot liquid trailing down.

Riju nodded weakly. “O-Okay.”

…

* * *

_-Diary of Makeela Riju-_

Old entry #1…

_Buliara told me today that Mother has passed on and gone to a better place. She said that my mother’s death means I am now the chief of the Gerudo people. I wish she’d stayed here, though. I don’t see how it can be a better place with us apart…_

_Ever since I became the chief, the people in town have been a lot nicer to me. But, if I look carefully, I can still see the worry in their eyes. It seems more common than when Mother was in charge._

_Mother… Will I ever be as great a chief as you were?_

* * *

It would have been a beautiful night for a sand seal ride.

Buliara was silent. It seemed only appropriate. Merely the panting of their sand seals and the gentle wind rustling Riju’s hair occupied the night’s ambience.

Riju forced herself to look over her shoulder at the great cloud of sand she’d left behind. She was grateful, she supposed, for the dust. She didn’t want to see what it concealed. Only Naboris’s head, towering over the sandstorm, was visible from this far away. Moonlight glinted from the behemoth.

“If only we’d had the Thunder Helm,” Riju quietly mused.

Her attendant did not reply.

Riju’s throat was hoarse, from sand ingestion and from disuse. She would grieve later, she knew, but she mustn’t cry, else she felt her voice may well never recover again. She shakily breathed in. “If we’d had it… If I hadn’t lost it, then…”

Suddenly, Buliara’s gaze was on her, sharp and stern. “Do not pretend that its disappearance was your fault, milady. It was my error that cost us the Thunder Helm, not yours. You bear no guilt in its theft.”

Riju didn’t have a response. She simply turned her eyes forward, watching the mountains to the northeast draw closer.

After a moment, she spared another glance over her shoulder. Many dark specks in the distance still escaped the sandstorm, even now. More silhouettes in the distance—sand seals—rode ahead of her and Buliara, on their way to the oasis. It seemed most of the town had made it.

But ‘most’ was not enough.

Riju’s heart ached.

Buliara, however, had her eyes constantly trained forward, attentive. Unlike Riju, she was able to notice when orange flashes of light began appearing shortly ahead.

Buliara tensed in alarm. “Lady Riju, stay behind me!”

Riju snapped awake, noticing when Buliara swerved her sand seal to the left. Riju immediately swerved left as well, following closely behind her attendant. She didn’t know what had Buliara so alarmed, but, trusting Buliara’s judgment unquestioningly, kept her sand seal on her attendant’s heels.

“Keep your head low!” Buliara called over her shoulder, and Riju immediately obliged. She became aware of a noise—laughter? No, more like: cackling.

A new orange flash of light overhead caught her attention, and she briefly looked up to see something almost-human descending upon her. Riju flinched, unable to dodge the impact.

The _thing_ struck her from above; her sand seal’s reins slipped from her hands, and a grunt escaped her along with her breath. From her momentum, the _thing_ lost its hold on her, tumbling aside, while Riju fell into the desert sands, her speed carrying her forward until she rolled to a stop face-down.

Riju gasped for air. She clutched fistfuls of the cold sand, struggling to her hands and knees.

“Hehehahah… What luck.”

Riju coughed, weakly facing the voice. She had thought the thing’s form was human, and technically, she had been correct. A person clad in a stealthy, skin-tight suit was crouched in the sand a short distance from her, wielding a nasty-looking scythe for a weapon. More noticeable was the person’s mask—white, with an unmistakable, stylized eye in the center.

A Sheikah, to be certain. But human? The Yiga Clan had renounced that dignity long ago.

“To think, that Divine Beast would attack you now of all times.” The Yiga assassin’s voice was high-pitched. Weaselly, unsurprisingly. “Perfectly timed—today was our scouting night! A night like any other: we take a look at Gerudo Town, assure that you fools are as clueless as ever, and return home.”

Riju felt a fire spark in her heart. Grimacing, she pushed up to her knees.

The Yiga assassin shrugged. “Imagine my surprise to find that the Gerudo Town we all know and love is gone! Kaput! Straight-up destroyed, by the very beast created to protect it!” The assassin threw its head back: _“Hahahahaha!_ Absolutely hilarious!”

Riju had yet to catch her breath, so she silently glared at the assassin. It seemed amused by the hatred in her eyes.

She wouldn’t be able to keep up the façade for much longer; her energy was gone, drained. She could barely keep herself on her knees.

“What luck,” the assassin repeated. “And now, my chance to end the family line of Gerudo’s leadership is at hand. Perhaps I’ll even have a promotion waiting for me when I return? Heheheh! Prepare to die!”

The assassin dashed closer, but suddenly, the scene was whisked away; Riju felt herself being lifted off of the ground, carried away under her attendant’s strong arm.

“Stay calm,” Buliara commanded. She hefted the diminutive Gerudo chief with ease. “I will lose them.”

Riju smiled tiredly up at her. “I… I know you will, Buliara. Thank… thank you…”

Buliara glanced down at the young girl under her arm, watching Riju drift into unconsciousness.

She spurred her sand seal onward.

…

* * *

_-Diary of Makeela Riju-_

Old entry #2…

_The Divine Beast Vah Naboris, which supposedly has been sleeping in the desert, suddenly awoke just a few days ago. Mother once told me that Naboris is the deity of protection for the Gerudo people, but after my inspection of it… I can’t bring myself to believe her._

_I can say with confidence that if the Divine Beast came to Gerudo Town, we’d be helpless. When I drew close to it, using my wonderful sand seal Patricia, I was driven back by a sandstorm and the threat of its lightning. I turned Patricia toward home, but a monster startled her, and she fled._

_The next thing I remember is Buliara standing over me, face full of worry…_

.

C-Cold.

Riju’s eyelids fluttered. She was soon able to blink awake—groggily noticing the uncomfortable sand sticking to her eyelashes, and brushing it away with her thumb—to see a boundless array of dotted blackness overhead. Infinite stars. The waxing moon shone brightly.

_The night sky…_

Slowly, Riju was able to sit up, wearing a pained grimace. Her entire body was sore, and her eyes felt… dry, drained.

_Where…?_

Riju’s gaze was drawn to the light nearby: a campfire. The only semblance of light visible in any direction except up. Desert, everywhere. Endless sand. Buliara sat before the campfire, her chin resting on her knees; she prodded at the flickering blaze with a stick. Two sand seals lounged nearby, sleeping obliviously. Patricia was the closer of the two.

Riju’s hands grasped at the sand she’d been laying on.

_We’re alone…_

The weight of reality finally hit her. Sitting alone in the frigid desert, far from anything resembling her home, the surreal experience of the night so far settled onto Riju’s shoulders.

_It was all real._

“Where…” Riju began, but her throat was clogged with phlegm and tears; giving a cough, she tried again. “…Which way is Gerudo Town?”

Buliara glanced aside at her, wearing a neutral expression. Without a word, she jutted her chin to Riju’s right. Riju slowly turned her head that way.

Nothing could be made from this distance. It could have just been any other cloud. Sandstorms weren’t exactly rare in the Gerudo Desert. Still, the storm on the horizon riveted the Gerudo chief. She shivered with fear as she beheld it.

“Stay close to the fire,” murmured Buliara. “Stalizalfos won’t bother us if we keep to the light.”

Riju shook her head. “D-Did everyone make it? Did they…” She couldn’t finish, choking back a sob.

Buliara’s expression softened with concern. “…I don’t know, Lady Riju. We can’t know for certain until we reach the Bazaar.” She turned her eyes onto the endless desert, sighing deeply. “The Yiga Clan waylaid us… It will take a full day at least to arrive there, thanks to their intervention. At least I was able to defeat them for now.”

Riju opened her mouth, as if to respond, but she found she had nothing else to say. She pursed her lips quietly.

Not another word passed between them that night. Unable to even cry, Riju numbly lay down and went to sleep.

It was all she could do.

…

* * *

_-Diary of Makeela Riju-_

Old entry #3…

_Ever since I went to investigate the Divine Beast, Buliara has made a point of never leaving my side. Even now, with such a valuable heirloom stolen by thieves, she refuses to tear herself away from me for even a moment._

_She takes all the blame for the theft, however. Nothing can change her mind about being responsible. Meanwhile, I can’t help but feel that the theft happened due to my want for diligence…_

_The soldiers search tirelessly, trying to recover the heirloom. No one says a word about my leadership, but… they **must** be thinking about how powerless their chief has proven to be._

.

The same thoughts ran through Riju’s mind as she awoke to the rising sun: doubts, curiosity, and finally the realization that it was all real. The sandstorm the Divine Beast had stirred up was gone from the horizon. It had moved on.

Her exchanges with Buliara were terse and quiet. A rarity: Riju didn’t want to talk any more than Buliara did. Her attendant simply offered a slice of a hydromelon to abate her hunger, which Riju nibbled on in silence. After cutting a slice for herself, Buliara stored the remainder.

Following their quiet breakfast, the two mounted their shields and began the long seal ride east. Riju was alone with her thoughts, absently watching mile after mile of sand pass by underneath her shield.

_The Thunder Helm attracts and diverts lightning. In essence, the helm provides a large bubble of safety. With it, Naboris’s attack would have been trivial, if startling. I could have simply guided our people out of the city, keeping everyone safe with the help of Lady Urbosa’s heirloom…_

_Yet, the Yiga Clan took that from me._

Her hands clenched unconsciously on Patricia’s reins.

_Long has the Yiga Clan hounded us. They’ve been thorns in the side of civilization since… well, likely since the Great Cataclysm a century ago, if not longer; I don’t claim to be a historian. But, annoyances though they’ve been, they have never been the perpetrators of such a crime. The theft of the Thunder Helm was more than just larceny. It was attempted genocide. People died. MY people died._

Riju found her eyes moistening again, so she wiped them on her wrist. As her head turned, she caught Buliara’s gaze.

“I’m fine,” Riju said quietly, just enough for Buliara to hear.

Buliara didn’t seem satisfied, but she did not press.

.

Noon was high when the two vai paused to again divvy up the same hydromelon: one slice each. Buliara again pocketed the rest.

The afternoon was identical to the morning. Riju and Buliara continued riding their sand seals east, not exchanging a word.

When dusk began to fall, Buliara noted lights on the horizon. Countless lights. Torches, unmistakably. “That is Kara Kara Bazaar,” the attendant noted. “If we push on, we can arrive there in under two hours.”

Riju felt tension tighten in her chest. Dread. Dread for what? Dreading answers? Dreading… her return to responsibility? She still felt as though she hadn’t finished grieving. She lacked… catharsis. She… wasn’t ready.

“Wait, Buliara.” Riju’s words caught the warrior’s attention. “We should take a short break, first.”

Buliara’s eyebrow quirked. “Are you certain, Lady Riju?”

“Quite.” Riju looked down at herself, coated in dirt and rubble, unkempt as the definition of the word. “I sh…shouldn’t arrive in such a poor state.”

Buliara did not reply. Gradually, she slowed her sand seal to a much laxer pace, which Riju had Patricia mirror.

“As you wish.”

Buliara’s seal finally stopped, and Buliara dismounted from her shield. Riju followed suit.

“Shall I make a campfire, then?”

As she knelt down to lift her shield, Riju shook her head. “No… I simply require a moment’s rest.”

“Very well.”

Riju placed her shield in the sand and sat on it, folding her knees and hugging them to her chest. Buliara likewise sat atop her own shield, facing the chief. As was to be expected, they did not speak for a moment.

Following a tactful pause, it was Buliara to first break the silence: “Are you scared?” Her blunt tone would have intimidated one who didn’t know her well.

“Yes.”

Buliara assessed her ward for a moment. “…You have not cried at all, Lady Riju. Ordinarily, I would have you take pride in your strength. However…” Her strong gaze flitted away. “Crying offers clarity of mind. A satisfying, cleansing feeling. I understand the incompleteness you must feel. The feeling that you aren’t done grieving yet.”

Riju laughed feebly. “It’s childish of me. There is so much to do, so much we have lost, and I am sitting alone and feeling sorry for myself.”

“You are not alone, milady.” Buliara’s eyes blazed. “Not while I draw breath.”

At that, Riju couldn’t help but weakly smile. “Yes… Of course, Buliara. You’re right.”

“Regardless… your people wait for you. The Gerudo may be weakened, but we have not been wiped out, not yet. There is still life ahead.”

A tingling flicker ran through Riju’s heart. She’d nearly forgotten the sensation. “Yes…”

Buliara stood, taking short strides closer to the Gerudo chief. “Now. Allow me to fix your hair, and we will reassure your people that their leader yet lives.”

Riju smiled.

.

The final leg of the seal ride was uneventful. The sun had set by the time they finally reached the fringes of the oasis; knowing that the path ahead would soon shift from sand to stone, the two vai dismounted from their sand seals, who would find the terrain impassible.

The sight of the area was surreal; Riju found her eyes moving numbly around, taking in the dozens of tents surrounding the usually-calm oasis. In accordance with the plan, the Gerudo had migrated successfully to Kara Kara Bazaar. The clamor was unfitting of the late hour; Riju and Buliara had a crowd to wade through despite the time of day.

During their passage through the throng, a passerby bumped into Riju, startling her. “Ah, sorry, sorry,” the Hylian said with a contrite smile before continuing on. But Riju paused, eyes wide and watching the local hurry away.

The thought struck her that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen one. A voe, that is. A _man._

A tiny smile played on her lips. She’d always been free to leave Gerudo Town for a day or two at a time; she’d certainly visited Kara Kara Bazaar before, but interaction with voe was a luxury Buliara would deny to her, for reasons she had yet to receive an explanation for…

Now was a model example of that: Buliara nudged Riju onward, shepherding her away from the many local voe ogling the Gerudo refugees. Riju rolled her eyes at Buliara’s sternness.

 _Interacting with voe,_ Riju thought wryly. _‘Experiencing the world.’ What an optimistic takeaway from this situation._

And so they continued wading through, not entirely sure of what they were searching for but walking on nonetheless.

Even in a place as bustling as the overcrowded bazaar, Riju and Buliara were impossible to miss; the latter towered over even the tallest of the Gerudo, and the former, though diminutive, was dressed with unmissable opulence. They caught many double-takes from Gerudo vai, who would pause in their tasks to watch them in awe.

“L-Lady Riju has returned!”

“She and Buliara live still!”

A crowd began to form, following their leader and raising greater clamor. Riju looked around, absorbing the smiles, the relief in the Gerudo’s eyes. She could see in their faces how her arrival had incited such a sharp rise in morale.

Her heart glowed, and she couldn’t fight a smile of her own.

“L-Lady Riju!”

Another Gerudo jogged closer, stopping in front of the chief. Riju smiled as she recognized the vai; this one had tended to Patricia since, well, forever, probably. “Ah, Padda, vasaaq. It’s so good to see you.”

“Yes, yes, sav’orr!” the Gerudo replied, smiling widely. “I’m… overcome with joy that you were able to make it out after all. We all thought…”

As Padda trailed off, Riju winced. “…I apologize for my tardiness. The Yiga waylaid us, but—”

Padda tensed, her voice falling to a sharp, concerned whisper. “The _Yiga?!”_

“Yes, but Buliara proved herself as indispensable as ever,” said Riju, smiling up at her guardian.

“By the goddess, I’m so glad you survived, even against those odds!”

At this point, Buliara made herself known. “Padda, what has happened since the fall of Gerudo Town? We were absent for an important day.”

“Ah…” Padda nodded, turning away. “Walk with me, milady.”

Riju, followed closely by Buliara, matched Padda’s pace as they walked deeper into Kara Kara Bazaar. Seemed the fall of Gerudo Town had not escaped the locals here; she spotted as many Hylians as she did Gerudo, mostly gawkers. Her eyes fixated on the voe, trying to drink in every fascinating detail while she had her chance.

Padda gestured at a large tent overlooking most of the oasis, indicating it as their destination. “You must understand, Lady Riju, that we all thought we’d lost you,” she explained. “We were… panicking. No one could have expected the Divine Beast to attack so suddenly, and almost nobody was ready.” Padda’s eye twitched in pain. “…Not everybody made it, and no one escaped unscathed. To think that we had lost you, our chief, our Lady Riju, as well… it…”

Padda paused to compose herself. While Buliara and Riju gave her the moment, Riju’s heart cramped with guilt. _I should have been there._ But she squeezed her eyes shut, dismantling the thought. _I’m here now. I can’t… change the past._ She continued to repeat that phrase in her mind, trying to force herself to believe it, until Padda spoke again.

“…Lady Teake stepped up without hesitation.” Padda was smiling again. “She immediately took charge, organizing the Gerudo in your absence and keeping us together. She was able to keep her head even while most of us ran around like headless Cuccos.”

Riju sighed with relief. “Ahh, sarqso… I should expect nothing less from Teake.”

“That’s her tent,” Padda noted, gesturing again at their destination, which they were nearing. “Now that you have returned, you and she need to speak.”

“Of course.” Riju stopped, facing the vai. “Thank you, Padda. We can make it from here.”

“As you wish,” Padda said. “Now—I have dearly missed Patricia. By your leave, I will go groom and feed her.”

“I’m grateful.”

Riju and Buliara briefly watched the vai leave before returning their attention to the tent housing the Gerudo people’s temporary leadership.

.

The glint of emerald was immediately obvious. Light cascaded from the gem-adorned shield the vai wore on her back, and as Riju and Buliara entered, their eyes were instantly drawn to it, drawn to the powerful position of the vai at the head of the tent.

The vai turned to face the newcomers, revealing herself to be Teake: as Riju had expected, of course. But Teake’s expression did not wash with relief at the sight of the survivors—instead curling with displeasure.

“That is the Daybreaker,” Riju urged, taking a step into the tent—and noticing that she had caught the eye of the many elders seated along the fringes of the abode. She and Buliara had just walked into a town meeting, it seemed.

The elders murmured amongst themselves, and their expressions mostly contrasted with Teake’s, showing the concern and relief Riju had hoped for. However, the ones that stuck in the eye of Riju’s mind were the ones that didn’t. The ones that also glowered at her, much like the guard captain did.

“Indeed it is,” Teake replied, and she palmed the sheathed weapon at her hip. “And here I possess the Scimitar of the Seven. Intact and unharmed.” Her eyes narrowed. “Before I escaped Gerudo Town as it fell, I was able to recover these priceless artifacts from the royal chambers. And while you fled, I rallied my people and led us to safety.”

Thus Buliara’s stern voice instantly returned. “Mind your tone, Teake. Your chief has returned; perhaps some grace would suit the situation.”

Teake clicked her tongue disdainfully.

Riju took another step forward, wringing her hands with clear contriteness. “I… I must apologize.” She looked around the tent, meeting as many eyes as she could. “W-We… While I know it is no excuse, the Yiga Clan’s intervention proved costly. We ended up miles in the wrong direction, and…” She sighed, hands falling to her sides. “I hope you can forgive me. I… cannot begin to atone for abandoning you in such a trying time.”

An elderly voice piped in: “We can _begin_ to forgive you… _if_ you return to your throne.”

Riju searched for the voice, and found the vai smirking, teasing. Riju couldn’t help but smile herself when other elders nodded their agreement.

“Th-Thank you.”

Teake’s eyebrows were drawn in a disapproving line, but when Riju approached her, she stepped aside wordlessly, allowing Riju access to the head of the room.

The wicker chair was nothing compared to her now-lost throne, but Riju appreciated the symbolism regardless. She sat, surveying her council, while Buliara moved to stand by her side and Teake reassumed her place with the rest.

“Well then.” Riju’s smile hadn’t left yet. “What have I missed?”

.

Quite a lot, in fact. Within a matter of minutes, Riju’s smile had been worn down to the tired frown she was very used to.

This had been a tragedy, yes. The home of the Gerudo was no more; centuries of heritage, lost. But beyond the symbolic and cultural loss facing the Gerudo, logistical concerns were the most pressing for now. Food especially, but at the moment, the issue of housing was a topic of heated discussion amongst the Gerudo leadership.

“Retreating to Kara Kara Bazaar was meant to be a temporary solution,” an elderly vai said. “This place cannot house so many! We must begin constructing a permanent settlement as soon as possible.”

Riju rubbed her chin. “This is one of the only oases in the Gerudo Desert, and certainly one of the largest. The people are stuck in tents for now, but it would be a straightforward matter to construct permanent housing around the Bazaar. The potential is there for this oasis to become a thriving settlement rather than a rest stop.”

“Absolutely unacceptable!” Old Rima pounded her fist into the arm of her chair to punctuate her statement. “I have spent _decades_ ensconced within Gerudo Town. After my husband passed on, I had no intention of interacting with voe ever again! Where we build a new town, I don’t care, as long as it is _vai-only!_ That is the Gerudo way!”

Riju’s eyes narrowed. Rima had once been captain of the Gerudo guard, just like Teake, so it was no surprise to her that the elderly vai would share her pupil’s stance on the subject. What was more surprising, however, was that many vai in attendance nodded with vehement agreement.

“Gerudo Town… is gone,” Riju said to the room. The words flowed more easily from her tongue the more she spoke them, which only weighed heavier upon her heart. “Change is upon us, whether we like it or not.”

“The destruction of a town is not reason to toss out millennia of Gerudo tradition!”

A slight clamor arose, prompting Buliara to tap her blade against the ground. “Stay in order!” Slowly, the group calmed down.

Riju frowned, resting her cheek in her palm. _They’re afraid. Is that it?_ She looked across the assembly of vai, judging expression after expression. _This is… culture shock. Change came too abruptly… To adapt is difficult for them._

_But they must come around. They must._

She twirled a lock of hair around her finger absently. _With Gerudo Town gone, we are now forced to interact with voe. We must find a way to coexist with them._

Her mind drifted to her earlier encounter. That Hylian man, an earnest look to his eye as he apologized for bumping into her… A little smile came into being on Riju’s face as she thought further on the subject. Truth be told, it had been hard for her to stop thinking about that moment. There was quite a world outside of Gerudo Town, it seemed; so much to see, so much to do.

_Why are they so opposed, anyway?_

“…Your concern is noted, Miss Rima,” Riju said. “However, the most logical course of action seems to be creating a permanent settlement around Kara Kara Bazaar. We will discuss this situation with the residents here, and—”

“Lady Riju,” said Teake, a hint of indignation in her tone; however, she kept herself composed, betrayed only by her tight grip on her armrests. “I must protest. You don’t seem to understand the _gravity_ of Gerudo Town’s—”

It was Riju’s turn to interrupt, Teake’s constant impudence finally taking a toll on her patience. “I understand perfectly fine,” she stated. “While I appreciate your reverence toward our ancestors, this is a time where we cannot afford to take risks. The Bazaar encircles the second-largest oasis in the desert after Gerudo Town’s, so we cannot let our petty fear of men get in the way of survival.”

Fury lit in Teake’s eyes. “Men?” Suddenly, the guard captain was on her feet, hands clenched into indignant fists. _“Men?!_ So, you’ve shown your true colors, have you, Lady Riju? Yes, I think that answers everything, in fact! To use the Hylian word, rather than _voe.”_

Riju’s face fell. She hadn’t even meant to.

Teake swept her arm wide as she addressed the room. “Yes, that perfectly exhibits your disregard for the heritage of the Gerudo! To end our segregation from voe… to refer to them by _their_ word. You…” She turned her harsh gaze on the chief again, clarity entering her eyes. “…Your youth impairs you.”

Riju’s mouth was open, but she didn’t have anything to say. She was frozen.

Teake’s confidence grew from Riju’s reaction. “You are thirteen years old now, yes?”

“Enough, Teake,” Buliara warned.

But the guard captain ignored her. “You are a teenager now, Lady Riju,” she said. “You are young. Your heart is easily swayed. It is at that age that many vehvi wish to see the world outside Gerudo Town. One’s curiosity is overcoming her; a vehvi’s desire to meet these _voe_ she has heard so much about.” She sneered. “Romance tends to become known to vai at your age.”

“Teake,” Buliara repeated, a little more forcefully.

Again, Teake ignored her. Her anger was returning. “You are just a girl!” she exclaimed. “You are a hormonal, sheltered teenager, and you think to indulge yourself by stamping on the timeless traditions of your people?!”

Riju tried to argue. She really wanted to. Anxiety welled in her the more she realized that she could not. And the more her expression betrayed her unease, the more the rest of the elderly vai in attendance nodded fervently along—the more arrogance grew in the guard captain. More certainty that she was _right._

“If you cannot see the value in safeguarding the ancient values of the Gerudo, then you are unfit to lead,” Teake said. “With or without you, the Gerudo _will_ see a return to a culture of vai and vai alone!”

Buliara’s eyes blazed. “Teake, that is borderline tr—!”

“Your mother saw the wisdom in preserving our culture,” Teake spat. Her eyes bored into Riju’s. “…Why can’t you?”

At that, Riju’s lips sealed with resolve, and though her hands were shaking, she finally stood from her wicker throne and met Teake’s glare.

_“Enough!”_

Riju felt a measure of confidence behind her command. The tent fell silent at her booming declaration, even Buliara.

“I apologize if I was unclear,” Riju hissed. “I was not asking for your _permission,_ Guard Captain Teake. I am the Chief of the Gerudo, and I am deciding, for the good of the Gerudo, for the _survival_ of the Gerudo, we WILL be establishing new, _permanent_ lodgings around Kara Kara Bazaar. If you wish to hear my mother’s opinion, perhaps you could ask her yourself! Disloyalty is unbecoming of the Captain of the Guard.”

It wasn’t enough, Riju knew. Her chest was heaving with labored, emotional breaths, the anger mixed with fear unabating. Teake was thrown off, certainly, but Riju needed a finishing blow.

Riju took a deep breath, unclenched her fists, and composed herself. Closing her eyes—taking another breath—and opening them again, she said calmly, “Relieve yourself of the regalia, Teake. Give Lady Urbosa’s sword and shield to Buliara.”

Teake scowled. “…Tch.”

With clear reluctance, not breaking eye contact with Riju as she moved, Teake unhooked the Scimitar of the Seven from her belt and dropped the Daybreaker from its spot on her back… and deposited them at Buliara’s feet. Riju’s taciturn attendant collected the items without a word.

Riju held Teake’s gaze. It was a show of dominance, she knew. She couldn’t waver now. Only when Teake turned around after dropping the regalia did Riju allow herself to take a breath and look away.

“Now.” Riju tried to appear as confident as possible. “We will dismiss for the night. Tomorrow we will discuss the plan with the locals.”

As she spoke, her heart quickly sank. By the time Teake had seated herself with the rest of the attending vai, all eyes were watching her with equal looks of cautious disapproval. United against her. Her confidence began to deflate.

“…I-I understand… your hesitation, but my decision is final.”

Riju hesitated for an extra moment, feeling as though she should say something, but nothing came. Without another word, she quickly left the tent, followed closely by Buliara.

.

Heat in her cheeks, Riju walked faster than normal, staying paces ahead of her guardian. She didn’t want Buliara to see her face. She didn’t want to see Buliara’s face. She didn’t want to know what sort of judgment Buliara was silently passing on her at the moment.

Until, realizing she was on the fringe of the temporary settlement and only the desert lay before her, she stopped. She hadn’t even known where she was going. Stormed off without a plan.

Riju whirled around to face Buliara, putting her hands on her hips in some futile show of confidence. Embarrassment was flooding through Riju, manifesting as brewing tears. “Well?” she said, trying to sound annoyed. “Let me hear it, then.”

Buliara said nothing. Her brow was molded with concern.

Riju crossed her arms, wearing an angry expression despite the tears growing harder to fight. “I, I get it, Buliara. I lost my temper. I—when she brought up Mother, I—” She shook her head vehemently. “I shouldn’t have been so hard on her.”

“Do you jest?” Buliara scoffed. “She threatened to _depose_ you, milady. You showed her undeserved mercy.”

Riju winced. “…As for the others… I’ve only temporarily quelled their xenophobia. Tomorrow—Tomorrow I need to fix things, earn their favor back somehow. This… it’s just…” Her breath shivering, she wiped her cheek on the heel of her hand, catching stray tears. “I, I should’ve e-expected a welcome like this, I know…”

“Straighten yourself, vehvi.” Buliara placed a hand on the chief’s shoulder. “There are good times to cry; this is not one of them. Come: let us find your tent.”

Riju nodded, wiping her eyes again.

* * *

Though the displaced Gerudo certainly had much work ahead, even at a time like this only the guards would wander about this late into the night. Though Captain Teake had been rightfully vigilant before her shift had ended, she now had no such excuse to be out of her tent, much less outside of the Bazaar entirely.

The comforting light of the oasis was well behind her when she stopped walking.

“I know you’re there.” She squinted disdainfully into the darkness. “You’re always there, aren’t you?”

A soft puff of smoke came from behind her, and by reflex, Teake swiveled and reached for her scimitar—but, upon realizing the Yiga assassin behind her wasn’t attacking, she left the weapon in its sheath.

The assassin crouched like a monkey. It fiddled with a scythe in its hands as it tilted its head at Teake, as if examining her. “…Hmm. How’d you know I was here, _huuuh?”_

“As if the Yiga Clan wouldn’t be watching our every move at a time like this,” Teake spat. Her eyes held nothing but contempt for the creature.

“Sure, sure…” It pointed at Teake with the scythe—“But you! You aren’t afraid of me, are ya? It takes some guts to come _lookin’_ for the Yiga Clan, y’know!” It cackled. “So! I figure you wanna talk, else we’d already be at each other’s throats right about now.”

“You’re right.” Teake’s eyes narrowed. “I want to bargain with you.”

“Bargain?!” The Yiga threw its head back in laughter. _“Bargain?!_ HA! That’s rich! What does this little thing think the Yiga Clan could want from it?”

Teake glared at the assassin. She had to crane her neck to look down at the subhuman, and it dared to call her ‘little’? “I want the Thunder Helm.”

“The whatzit?”

“You know exactly what. The heirloom you stole from the Gerudo.”

“Hmm…” The assassin motioned as if to clean its ear with its pinky finger, though its head was entirely covered by that suit. “…Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“In return,” Teake proclaimed, “I can give you Lady Riju.”

The assassin paused. “…As in your _head honcho?”_

“Yes. In exchange for the Thunder Helm.”

“Wow!” The Yiga clapped its hands, excited. “That’s pretty neat! Thanks! Buuut I can’t promise the _Thunder Helm,_ you know. Master Kohga wouldn’t like that!”

“I don’t care. I want the Helm.”

“How about, instead…” It sighed. “Alright, this is gonna get me in a lot of trouble, but I’ll do it. Gimme your chief, and I’ll talk to Master Kohga about leaving you guys alone. Forever. And I mean it, alright?”

Teake glared suspiciously.

“Hehehah…” It stabbed its scythe into the sand, beginning to draw aimless circles as it watched Teake. “Tell me, Cap’n. Ever seen a Cucco before?”

“…I’m familiar.”

“Heh! Sure, sure. Well, after ya fatten up one of ‘em, ya eat ‘em. Tasty meat! They don’t much like being hurt, I’m sure you know, so to kill it—”

It suddenly lifted its scythe, drawing alarm from Teake (who began to reach for her weapon), and then vehemently smashed the blade into the sand.

“You lop its head off in one, clean hit!”

Teake took a breath and let go of her sword, while the assassin’s cackle mocked her jumpiness.

It stood up straight, sheathing the scythe behind its back. Teake still towered over the Yiga, even when it stood at full height. “…That’s not the end, y’know. Cuccos still go nuts for a little, even without a head! They take _time_ to die! But it doesn’t matter. Without its noggin, well…” The assassin tilted its head coyly. “…It’s not like you can just put a _new_ head on, can you? Ha, you could probably try, but it’d be a futile effort. That Cucco, its fate is sealed.”

“Tch.”

“So that’s my promise.” The assassin crossed its arms expectantly. “If you let us cut off the Cucco’s head, it’s not like we need to care about the dying body, do we?”

Teake still seemed unconvinced.

“And…” It tapped its ‘chin’ thoughtfully. “…Maybe I’ll _talk_ to the bossman about returning your shiny little helmet. You’re being pretty generous yourself, after all.”

Teake frowned deeply. “…Fine. Her tent is on the north side of Kara Kara Bazaar. I marked it with an R.”

“Nice! NICE!” The assassin jumped with glee, clicking its heels in midair. After landing, it began to dance. “Woo, happy day, happy day!”

Teake raised a staying hand, pausing the Yiga’s jubilance. “But. You mustn’t harm her.”

The assassin froze mid-dance. “…Huh?!”

“Quiet.” Teake crossed her arms, glaring at the Yiga. “Lady Riju may be incompetent, and she may be stamping on Gerudo tradition, but she is still a Gerudo. I respected her mother greatly, and I will return one of the many favors I owe her by sparing Riju’s life.”

The mask prevented Teake from seeing the assassin’s expression, but the way it leaned slightly closer gave the impression of a skeptical leer. “Now that you’ve told me where she is, why _wouldn’t_ I kill her?”

“Because you don’t need to.”

The assassin snorted derisively, but Teake ignored it.

“Why _would_ you kill her, hm?” Teake challenged. “If she is no longer our leader, then she poses no threat to you. In fact, the Gerudo as a whole pose no threat to you, _especially_ weakened as we are now! You said that yourself. You never needed to kill her, or any Gerudo, now least of all times.”

The Yiga paused thoughtfully. “…Welp, I can’t really argue with that. Hehaha. And I suppose it won’t matter in the end, hm?” It tapped its temple. “When Calamity Ganon finally returns, well… Heheh. Enjoy your little reign, _Chief,_ because the apocalypse ain’t far off.”

The assassin tapped its heels together and made a symbol with its hands. Enveloped with an orange light, the Yiga disappeared, leaving a Sheikah eye to briefly linger in the air.

Teake watched it disappear, disdain in her expression. “…So full of it. ‘The apocalypse…’ Please.”

She turned away, prepared to return to her tent, but she paused.

The Captain of the Guard—no, rather, the chief of the Gerudo—found her eyes drifting up to the stars.

“…Forgive me, Chief. The path you wish to take is irreversible. This is the only way to keep things right.” Her hands clenched. “I’m certain of it.”

* * *

“Lady Riju!” Buliara’s voice was an urgent whisper as she shook the chief awake. “Wake up, milady!”

Riju blearily rubbed at her eyes. Her faculties had yet to collect. “B…Buliara? What’s… Mm…”

“We have to leave, _now.”_

Riju’s eyebrows sleepily furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

“Danger,” Buliara hissed. “Listen.”

Riju did listen, but she heard nothing.

“Stealthy footsteps,” said Buliara. “Trying to mask themselves with the wind. Whoever is outside is not our friend.”

“What?” Riju smacked her own cheeks to awaken herself. “But, but there should be guards everywhere…”

Buliara pursed her lips for a moment. “…Come with me, milady. I shall keep you safe.”

Riju hesitated. “I—”

The sound of ripping fabric came from opposite sides of the tent, and moonlight shone through.

Yiga Clan assassins stood in the openings they had made, scythes at the ready. Three, possibly more.

“With me!” Buliara immediately seized Riju’s arm and all but dragged her away—out of the tent, the only entrance they weren’t covering.

Riju was too shocked to feel fear. Her feet were moving, surely. She heard rapid footsteps behind her, though her eyes were fixated on Buliara’s back.

Suddenly, Buliara stopped, leaving Riju to trip over herself into the sand. Buliara grasped the massive Gerudo claymore over her shoulder and freed it with a wide horizontal swing, the blade rushing into the small crowd of pursuing Yiga. All of the assailants ducked out of the way, and then paused rather than attacking, cautious of the threatening weapon.

Buliara grimaced. All of the Yiga were focused on her. Riju lay vulnerable several paces away, but none of the assassins made a move to capitalize on this. As if they had no intention of killing her at all…

Buliara’s heart sank.

Immediately, she turned and ran, stopping only briefly to sheath her weapon and cradle the Gerudo chief in her arms. The assassins were quick to pursue.

“Bul—Buliara!” Riju panted. “I’m a-awake, you can put me down!”

“When we reach the sand seals,” Buliara said. “They’re close by.”

Riju almost asked: “Why not get _help_ instead?”

But she quickly realized she already knew the answer.

Pursing her lips, she silently nodded.

The assassins were fast, but Buliara’s gargantuan pace proved faster: when Riju glanced over her guardian’s shoulder, she couldn’t see them, lost in the maze of tents. But they still couldn’t be far behind.

“There.” At Buliara’s statement, Riju turned her eyes forward, and sure enough, there was the desert, with several sand seals lounging about. As they passed the last of the tents, Buliara eased Riju down to her feet, and they both ran for their seals.

Riju’s hands fumbled with Patricia’s harness, and she found her breath was short. A quick glance over her shoulder, and there they were: the assassins, acrobatically maneuvering over and between the tents to get at their prey. Single-mindedly determined to drive them out.

“Quickly,” said Buliara. “We will lose them in the sands.”

Riju couldn’t feel the tears trailing down her cheeks. “Y-Yes.”

She and Buliara took off on their seals, quickly outstripping the footbound Yiga Clan.

* * *

Not one night. Not a single one had passed, and already, Riju and Buliara were alone again.

From their vantage point atop a cliff, much of Gerudo Desert could be seen. The lights from Kara Kara Bazaar were visible in the distance—but beyond, farther on the horizon, lay what had once been Gerudo Town. Riju could not make out any details; no light came from the dead city, leaving just a black, formless ruin barely illuminated by the full moon.

Sitting on the rock cliff, Riju hugged her knees to her chest, while Buliara sat next to her, grimly beholding the same sights. Patricia and Buliara’s seal were grooming themselves not far behind, waiting for their riders to need them again.

“It was Teake,” Riju said, “wasn’t it.”

“I’m certain of it.”

Riju grimaced, and wiped her eyes again just in case. “…They could have shot arrows into the tent,” she said. “Or set it ablaze, perhaps. The Yiga Clan is stealthy, but prone to making a show when being so brazen… After all, they left no doubt for us that they were the Thunder Helm’s thieves.”

“Indeed. She didn’t want them to kill you.”

Riju didn’t reply for a while.

The wind howled below, stirring the sands. The Gerudo Desert shifted like an ocean beneath them.

“…Was I in the wrong?”

Buliara frowned, not answering for a moment.

“That is…” Riju looked at her guardian. “…Did you disagree with me?”

Still Buliara did not answer. Her lips pressed into a straight line, she turned her eyes onto the low-hanging moon across the desert.

“It is not my place, my lady. I do not listen. I enforce.” She cast her eyes downward. “The same as I did when I served your mother.”

Riju looked down as well. “That’s no answer.”

Buliara grimaced. “…It’s true that… I was a bit alarmed by your suggestion, at least initially. I’ve lived my entire life in Gerudo Town, surrounded by none but vai. I haven’t cared for voe since my youth, and never enough to consider sharing a life with them, whether romantically or as neighbors.”

“So you agree with Teake that this is only about the voe. Ignore the pragmatism entirely.”

Noting the bitterness in Riju’s tone, Buliara narrowed her eyes. “It’s all we’ve ever known, Riju.”

Riju couldn’t help but wince at Buliara’s removal of honorifics.

Both were silent. While Riju still stared at her knees, Buliara intently watched Riju’s expression.

“Gerudo Town is gone,” Riju muttered. “Homes destroyed. Lives lost. Traditions stamped on. I just thought… change had come, permanent change.” She rested her chin between her knees. “…I know I’m not my mother. I’m sorry.” Her eyes flitted toward Buliara—whose expression had not changed—then back down. “I’m not the chief anymore. You can leave. You can—tell them I died.” She glanced over her shoulder at the bleak wilds surrounding them. “Soon, it’ll be true, I imagine.”

“You are not your mother,” Buliara stated. “You do not have to be. Perhaps your mother was never placed in a situation as precarious as yours, but she had to make some unpopular decisions in her day. They would smooth over with time.”

“I won’t be given the chance.”

Buliara frowned in silence.

The two sat quietly for several moments longer. Gradually, Riju’s fingers tensed—soon almost white-knuckled—with annoyance at Buliara’s continued presence.

Riju sat up straight, smacking her fists into the sand and glaring at Buliara. “Why are you still _here?!”_ she demanded. “Go! Leave this embarrassment of a chief behind—betrayed by her own people and too cowardly to avenge herself! Serve your new leader instead.”

Buliara still sat comfortably, meeting Riju’s eye with interest.

The vai’s lack of response infuriated Riju yet further. Slamming her fists into the sand twice more, tears began to run from her eyes. “Are you mocking me, then?! Waiting to see how low I’ll sink? Waiting for me to throw a tantrum like the child I am? Well, here it is! My pathetic show of defeat! Please, etch my every tear, my every _outburst—”_ she pounded her fists against the ground once again as punctuation— “into your memory! I’m sure Teake will love to hear the d-details!” She hiccupped once, and twice; the tears flowed harder, her frustration hitting a fever pitch.

Still, Buliara did nothing but watch.

Riju was out of words. She cried out in agony, bending forward and folding her arms over her stomach, tears racing freely down her cheeks and off her chin to pelt the sand under her. Her breath came and went in shallow gasps. Riju's nails dug into her sides, hard enough to hurt.

A strong arm looped around her, pulling her in. Her eyes widened in surprise as her head came to rest on Buliara’s shoulder.

Buliara said nothing; her gaze had returned to the moon. Or to Gerudo Town, perhaps. Or even the desert itself. She simply squeezed Riju’s arm reassuringly, and held her close.

“B-Buliara,” Riju choked, for her voice had given out. “You don’t h-have to…”

“I am an exile, just like you,” Buliara murmured. “It is my wish to protect you. As I said before: you will never be alone.”

Riju sniffed, more tears welling. “Buliara…”

“Continue, Riju,” Buliara said. “Crying offers a cleansing feeling, a feeling of completeness. Do not hold back.” Her eyes glanced down at her ward. “I am here for you.”

Riju obeyed: she did not hold back. Clinging suddenly to Buliara, her tears renewed, and her agonized cries returned.

Buliara didn’t let go.

.

_-Diary of Makeela Riju-_

_Gerudo Town. My people. My mother._

_Gone… Nothing I could do. Or, if there was, then I did not do it._

_When I awoke that morning, Buliara smiled at me, and she asked: “Where to?”_

_And…_

_I smiled back._

_The presence of the Yiga Clan is too strong around here for us to linger, so we shall head north. I suggested Rito Village, which Buliara was enthusiastic to agree to. Seems she’s always wanted to travel there, and never thought she would get the chance, at least not until she was too old to appreciate it._

_Ha… What an optimistic takeaway. ‘Experiencing the world.’_

_There’s so much that I’ve lost. Yet, for some reason, I can’t find it in myself to despair._

_Perhaps, someday, I will be able to return to the Gerudo Desert… reclaim my birthright, if ever I become worthy of it._

_Until then…_

_…Buliara held my hand when we were walking toward our sand seals. She calls me ‘Riju’, now, without exception. And before we set off, she patted my head—even playfully ruffled my hair a little bit._

_It reminds me of…_

**Author's Note:**

> [2018] : I can understand if you disagree with this direction for Teake, but from what little context there is for her in BOTW, I think this works as a valid extension of her character under extremely tense circumstances that the game does not dive into. Surely all 3 people on Earth whose favorite character is Teake can find it in themselves to understand.
> 
> [2020] : I didn't continue this fic because of my rapidly dwindling motivation at the time for writing fanfiction in general, coupled with the original upload not getting much feedback. I'm reuploading a bunch of stuff to AO3 because a friend of mine said having fics exclusively on fanfiction.net is embarrassing, and apparently I cave easily to peer pressure.


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